[Legacy Of The Force] - 05(95)

If it hadn’t been so ingrained in the nature of most species, Luke would have seen it as a Sith plot. It would have been so much simpler.

“I think we should offer Jedi mediation to both the GA and Corellia, as far as the assassination goes,” he said. “I know it sounds bizarre in the middle of a war, but there’s war with rules, and then there’s war with no holds barred, and we need to—”

The doors opened and Mara walked in. “Sorry I’m late,” she said. “Ran into a few problems.”

She managed to stop the meeting dead. Luke stared in horror at her face. She had a black eye and split lip; she was holding herself as if her ribs hurt. She settled into her seat in the circle with slow care.

“Ran into an armored division, more like,” said Kyp, staring. “What happened to you, and where shall we send the flowers for the other guy?”

“And this is after a healing trance.” She smiled, and it was genuine, but there was definite anxiety. Luke could feel it. It was all he could do not to abandon the meeting there and then, and go to her. How had he not felt what was happening to her?

“Sorry to interrupt,” she went on. “I assume we’re worrying about the implications of Gejjen’s death.”

“And Mandalorian rearmament.”

“Forget that for just a second,” Luke said. “Mara, I need to know what happened to you.”

“Why, darling, thank you for asking! I’m very well. Just a flesh wound.” She shook her head in disbelief, but it seemed aimed at herself. “Look, I caught Lumiya. She’s in a worse state than I am, believe me.”

“And?”

“The situation’s under control.”

“Where is she?”

“I’m tracking her to her base.”

All eleven Council members were waiting in complete silence for Mara’s next words. She looked at the other Jedi around her, gently pushed Luke’s unspoken inquiry and concern out of her mind with a firm later, and settled back in her chair. Luke couldn’t pin it down, but she was in turmoil under that facade.

“It’s no good looking at me like that,” she said. “I’m not discussing it, I’m not sharing the mission, and I’m not going to take it easy, which I’ll bet is going to be someone’s suggestion. Yes?”

“Mara hath spoken,” said Kyp. “But that doesn’t stop me asking where Lumiya is, and what she’s driving.”

“Nice try, but go find your own deranged dark sider to play with, because Lumiya’s mine.”

Corran gave Luke a knowing smile. “She’s fine.”

Mara was certainly satisfied about something, but not so content about something else. Luke would find out later. He moved the meeting on.

“Can we actually do anything about the Gejjen situation here and now?” There was a chorus of a reluctant “no” around the circle. “Okay, then, all we can do is keep an eye on the situation, and I’ve got a request in with Omas’s secretary to see him as soon as he gets back.”

“You know what happens if heads of state are away when a crisis breaks,” Kyp pointed out. “They take a pounding in the polls, and it’s the beginning of the end. Let’s make the most of Omas while we can.”

“Who’s friendly with Niathal?”

They all turned to look pointedly at Cilghal. She tilted her head slightly to fix Luke with one eye, always a disconcerting thing in a Mon Calamari. “Just because we’re Mon Cals, Luke, it doesn’t mean we have guaranteed harmony. We come from different schools of thought.”

“You’re Ackbar’s niece, and I bet that counts for a lot with a Mon Cal admiral …”

“I’ll do my best, then.”

The meeting broke up, Mara remaining seated. Corran patted her on the head like an indulgent uncle as he passed, and then wagged a silent warning finger: Get that black eye seen to. Luke waited until everyone was well out of earshot and then walked over to squat in front of Mara and put his hands on her knees.

“You can’t keep this from me.”

“I head-butted her, that’s all. Metal jaw, nonmetal head.”

“If you got that close, how did she get away?” Oh, bad question: Luke braced for an onslaught about shaking hands again. “I mean …”

“I think she has a droid with her. Something jumped me from behind, and it wasn’t organic.” Mara showed him a discolored mark like a rope burn at the front of her neck. “Whatever it is, it can pay out a metal cable. And she has this weird spherical ship like a disembodied orange eye.”

“Don’t you think all that’s a good case for not hunting her alone?”